Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-06-09

nure as housekeeper. and n.isht even
be looking forward to bee0miag hi'
fourth wife. Who the fayssed woman
would be, be had not yet deaided. Bul
after delay of passable rsspeetabili.
ty. Stephen brushed ups Grew % hi.
funeral gloves. and went cpndidating.
go to speak.
Squire Tucker said. "As was The
most impartial man be ever saw; he
took the younger widows bx house
row." Certainly no one could feel
slighted. Yet no one seerxa o catch
at. the dazzling bait. .5ssp6sn xas
not discouraged. A widower for the
third time is good deal like book
agent, not easily daunted.
He turned his thoughts, however,
away from the ungrateful widows.
who stood SO in their own light, and
determined to take a young wife, who
would last out his lifetime. His
boys had followed Horace Greeley 3
advice. the day they came of age, and
gone West; and money wouldn' t
tempt them" they said. "to come
back, aud live with the old man." So
there was nobody near to say him nay
about this business of taking young
girl for wife. Maybe they wouldn't
get so big slice out of the old place,
as they looked for" he thought, with
a chuckle.
Stephen foddered the cattle, and
stuck the pitchfOrk up under the barn
stairs; and then he paused, for min
ute, in the barn door, picking his few
remaining teeth, with a stem of herds
grass. 1t was merely habit he had,
when in a meditative mood. His
minds eye swept the field of his ac-
quaintance, far and near, and finally
paused, with suddenness, which he
considered almost an inspiration. A
smile, such as it was, lighted his with
cred face, ndrgleamed out from un.
der his shaggy brows.
If pretty Rosanna Morris could have
seen that smile, so fiattering to her,
as she came in singing from the milk
ing shed, l wonder if it would have
qClcRenet-7aer7 pulses s.sS..I.- Da-L
she strained her milk in happy un-
consciousness of the golden chance,
opening before her.
If "sunt Lura's" consent could first
be gained, Stephen felt he should
have as good as nine points of the case
on his side. He know such a stirring
woman generally carried things her
own way, in doors and out. If she
was willing to spare the girl, he was
more than willing to take her off her
uncle Andrews hands, for better or
worse. Of course, he knew there was
q risk. She might be little fighty
and extravagant at first, but the good
man had unlimited faith in the power
of precept, dinged donged hourly into
even the giddiest head.
There was much surprised tittering,
out in.aunt Lura's kitchen, over the
long conference mother was having
with "uncle Steve" in the north room
"Fd give something to know viii, h
of you girls it is said that teazing
Hal. "Or has he come to mother, to
speak good word to some of the wild
ows, she knows at the Branch?'
Hal grew suddenly anxious, as he
spoke, for a book, in the library, at
the end of the wide hall; and, Of
conrse, his slippered feet would dis
turb nobody. He might as well get
it as not.
Just then Stephen was saying tc
Mrs. Andrews:
"It's likely she may feel kinder
lonesome at first; but she'll soon gel
interested in her work, and there i
be plenty of it to take up her time.
shall always be about home to chirl
her up. There is one thing / nigh
as we'll speak Of" he added, fdgettins
with his hat. I never was no grea
hand for company, especially at nea
time. Store tea is dreadful dear, an,
company henders a good'eel. Blu
then, as I said, Rosanner needn't nev
er feel lonesome, for shall always b
about the place, and she can blow tn
. dinner-horn any time she wants me
: The bOok.hunter0 lifted his eye
brows, and puckered his mouth t
whistle; but prudently refrained.
When Go you think she could eomel
. asked the old man, eagerly.
well, | hardly know what to say,
replied the puzzled aunt. Girls a
ways must have such time hxin
; their clothes"
) "0h, che needn't waste a minut
over that T. broke in the love
: There's a whole bureau, full of n
| wives dresses and things. and she ca